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Leeds United must split their focus between preparing for the opening game of the 2024/25 Championship season and pursuing targets in the summer transfer window.

The Whites face off against Portsmouth at Elland Road on Saturday in their first match of the campaign, as they look to bounce back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.

Using the transfer window to build a side that is capable of competing for promotion will be important and that is why the next few weeks could be crucial to their chances of a top-flight return.

Daniel Farke has already lost three of his key players from last season, as Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, and Crysencio Summerville have all completed moves away from Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell have been added to the Leeds squad to bolster the manager's options across the park.

The exit of Summerville, however, will need further work from the Whites in the transfer market and they are reportedly looking to the Championship to find a replacement for him.

Leeds learn price for forward target

According to Football Insider, Leeds are in the market to add a new winger to their squad to provide the team with more firepower after they sold their Dutch whiz.

The report claims that the Whites are interested in a deal to sign Jonathan Rowe from Championship rivals Norwich City, who they beat in the play-offs last season.

It states that the Canaries, however, are looking for a sizeable fee of £15m to allow their academy graduate to move on from Carrow Road this summer.

The outlet adds that the West Yorkshire outfit have already offered £7m to sign the England U21 international – a bid that was swiftly swatted away by Johannes Hoff Thorup's side.

Norwich are looking for more than double that fee after they sold Gabriel Sara to Galatasaray for £20m, which strengthened their negotiating position when it came to Rowe.

Football Insider also claims that the Canaries are reluctant to cash in on the winger to one of their divisional rivals, as it would weaken their chances of promotion and strengthen Leeds'.

This all means that a move for the English flanker looks set to be a difficult one for the club to pull, given Norwich's stance and the £15m valuation on his head.

If they can get a deal over the line for him, though, then Farke could unleash Italian forward Wilfried Gnonto in a new role for the 2024/25 campaign.

Where Jonathan Rowe could play for Leeds

The 21-year-old attacker is a versatile talent who can play on the left or the right due to him being comfortable dribbling, passing, and shooting on either foot.

However, the majority of his appearances in the 2023/24 campaign came on the right side of the attack for Norwich, with Spanish whiz Borja Sainz deployed on the left.

In fact, his first goal for the Canaries came from him drifting inside from the right to unleash a rocket of a left-footed shot into the top corner against Hull City on the opening day, as shown in the clip above.

Playing on the right allows Rowe to either come into the middle to utilise his incredibly strong 'weak' foot or to go on the outside of defenders on his preferred right-foot to create for himself or others.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the England youth international, whose movement was hailed as "impressive" by analyst Ben Mattinson, showcased his ability to provide a big threat in the final third.

Appearances

32

Starts

25

Goals

12

Key passes

26

Assists

2

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Rowe is a proven Championship goalscorer who could come in and bolster Farke's options on the flanks.

The Norwich star, who scored four goals in six pre-season games this summer, could come in and play on the right side of the German's frontline, which would then open up the left side Gnonto to be unleashed in a new role this season.

Potential new role for Wilfried Gnonto

Summerville dominated the left flank for Leeds last season with 19 goals and nine assists in the Championship, which meant that other players rarely got the chance to showcase their talent in that position.

His exit has opened up a vacancy in that role and Gnonto could step up to make it his own if Rowe comes in to play on the right, instead of as a direct replacement for Summerville in the left-wing slot.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the 20-year-old talent played the majority of his games on the right but he could thrive even more on the left side for Leeds.

Appearances

36

xG

5.36

Goals

8

xA

3.81

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, Gnonto is a lethal finisher who can outperform the quality of chances that are created for him, with eight goals from 5.36 xG.

But he potentially suffered from Georgino Rutter's passing angles through the middle of the park. As a predominantly left-footed player, the Frenchman often opened up on the left side of the pitch and threaded passes through to Summerville in the left channel and in central positions on that side.

This resulted in the Dutch winger ending the season with 16.41 xG in the Championship, whilst Rutter created 22 'big chances', which shows that the team consistently created high-quality opportunities for him in the left wing role.

Now, imagine Gnonto using his incredibly efficient finishing skills with the level of chance creation that he would get from playing on the left with Rutter's passing angles on his left foot.

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The Italian dynamo could, as Summerville did, cut in on his right foot to make the most of Rutter's creativity and provide a fantastic goalscoring presence on the left flank, with Rowe then lining up on the right to form a very exciting attack for Farke in the Championship this season.

As the start of the 2024/25 season edges closer, Glasgow Rangers are under pressure to sign another couple of players to bolster their squad.

The Light Blues travel to Tynecastle in just eight days for the Premiership opener against Hearts, but the starting XI might not look that different from last term.

Opponent

Score

Venue

Birmingham City

2-1 defeat

St. Andrews

Manchester United

2-0 defeat

Murrayfield Stadium

Ajax

2-1 defeat

Sportpark Mulderssingel

It looks as though Philippe Clement will be busy in terms of outgoings in the coming days, as Todd Cantwell has asked for a transfer out of Ibrox. Connor Goldson is another first-team player who could be about to leave, with the Gers accepting an offer from an unnamed club.

Selling the pair will allow Clement to raise some funds for future arrivals, especially considering there have been a few links of late – with one deal having now been wrapped up.

Rangers complete deal for Bundesliga forward

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg reported earlier this week that the Gers were "on the verge" of completing a deal to sign winger Vaclav Cerny on a season-long loan for the 2024/25 campaign, with the move said to be "advanced".

The player offered a hint of his next destination by following Rangers on Instagram earlier this week, and the deal has now since been confirmed by the club.

He only moved to Wolfsburg from Twente last summer in a deal worth around £6m, but it looks like a fresh start is needed for him to revive his career.

There is no doubt that bolstering his attacking options is a priority for Clement before the visit to play Hearts next week. Cerny may not have enjoyed the most productive of seasons last year, but his time in the Netherlands was successful.

Primarily a right-winger, the Czech wide man could be a much better option than Clement’s current options on that flank, including Ross McCausland.

Ross McCausland’s season in numbers

The Northern Irishman broke through into the senior squad last season, emerging as a regular in the starting XI from October until May.

While his talent was obvious, it was perhaps due to a lack of reliable options on the right wing which led to Clement persisting with McCausland.

The 21-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Gers, scoring four times while grabbing five assists, showcasing his talents in a side which faltered coming down the stretch.

Among his teammates, the youngster ranked sixth in the squad for goals and assists (seven) in the Premiership, while also ranking eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.9) and tenth for key passes per game (1.4), decent numbers, but hardly spectacular.

There is plenty of improvement to be made during the upcoming season as the winger could be much more effective in front of goal, but it looks like Clement will give him more opportunities to impress next term.

He is at a key point in his development in which every single start for the senior team will give him that added bit of experience. Might these opportunities become restricted following Cerny's arrival to the Light Blues, however, especially considering his record in recent years?

Vaclav Cerny’s statistics since the start of the 2022/23 season

The winger didn’t quite hit the ground running for Wolfsburg last term, scoring just five goals and grabbing one assist in 25 matches for the German side.

Cerny did register a goal conversion rate of 20% in the Bundesliga last term, while also creating a big chance, averaging 0.6 key passes per game and succeeding with 0.6 dribbles per game, yet these statistics weren’t as good as what he achieved for Twente the year before.

Metric

2022/23 (Twente)

2023/24 (Wolfsburg)

Goals

13

4

Assists

11

0

Big chances created

17

1

Goal conversion percentage

13%

20%

Key passes per game

2.4

0.6

Successful dribbles per game

2

0.6

Shots per game

3

0.9

The winger registered 28 goal contributions – 15 goals and 13 assists – in all competitions for the Dutch side, catching the eye on the right flank.

Not only did he rank first out of the whole squad for his Sofascore rating (7.56) in the Eredivisie that season, but he also ranked first for goals and assists (24), big chances created (17, key passes per game (2.4) and first for successful dribbles per game (2), demonstrating how effective he was on the flank for Twente.

These statistics in a league fairly similar to the Scottish Premiership, suggest that Cerny – who has "bags of pace" as noted above – would be a major upgrade to McCausland for Clement next term and could add something extra to his attacking options.

What Vaclav Cerny could offer Rangers

If the Czech attacker can hit the ground running, he will bring goals, which is something the Light Blues need in abundance from the wide areas.

Abdallah Sima did net 16 times from the left wing last term, but the next highest-scoring winger was Rabbi Matondo with just six goals, placing all the pressure on the centre-forwards to score.

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Cerny has played 148 senior games during his career thus far, registering 59 goal contributions in the process, which works out as an involvement every 2.5 matches.

A loan deal is certainly something which will work well for both parties, giving Clement the chance to utilise his funds to bolster another area of the team.

Hopefully, this is the catalyst which prompts a couple of other signings to join the Glasgow side in the next seven days.

A win against Hearts is imperative to begin the league campaign in solid fashion. Last year, Michael Beale’s side lost to Kilmarnock, and it set the tone for their failed domestic campaign.

Clement will be aiming to avoid a similar scenario this time around.

يحل فريق ليفربول، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، ضيفًا على خصمه فريق نوتينجهام فورست في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز 2024/25.

تأتي تلك المباراة في إطار لقاءات الجولة الحادية والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي، وذلك على ملعب “سيتي جراوند”.

طالع | تشكيل ليفربول أمام نوتينجهام فورست في الدوري الإنجليزي.. موقف محمد صلاح

ويحتل ليفربول صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 46 نقطة، بينما يمتلك نوتينجهام فورست 40 نقطة في المركز الثالث.

ويسعى ليفربول إلى الثأر من نوتينجهام فورست، بعدما فاز الأخير عليه في “الأنفيلد” هذا الموسم بهدف دون رد، ليصبح الفريق الوحيد الذي هزم الريدز في موسم الدوري الإنجليزي الحالي.

ويفتقد ليفربول خدمات داروين نونيز في مباراة اليوم نتيجة الإيقاف بسبب تراكم البطاقات الصفراء. تشكيل ليفربول المتوقع أمام نوتينجهام فورست اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

حراسة المرمى: أليسون بيكر.

خط الدفاع: ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، كوناتي، فان دايك، روبرتسون.

خط الوسط: جرافنبرخ، ماك أليستر.

خط الوسط الهجومي: محمد صلاح، سوبوسلاي، جاكبو.

خط الهجوم: لويس دياز.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

West Ham United are scouring across the market as Julen Lopetegui continues to seek out improvements to his squad. Having welcomed Max Kilman and teenage winger Luis Guilherme already, the Irons are clearly mustering forces fit to challenge for a place in European competition.

With Danny Ings failing to impress in east London, scoring just four times across 52 appearances, it's vital that the Irons address their weakness up front, indeed having been blighted by the absence of a first-rate goalscorer last season – Jarrod Bowen notwithstanding.

Michail Antonio is also 34 and approaching the twilight. He scored seven Premier League goals last season but was limited to just 21 starts due to injuries.

West Ham will sign a striker, but technical director Tim Steidten certainly isn't restricting his gaze to that one position, with another winger being considered at the London Stadium.

West Ham offered talented winger

As per HITC, Borussia Dortmund have offered winger Karim Adeyemi to a host of Premier League clubs this summer after Edin Terzic stepped down at the end of the 2023/24 season.

New Yellow Wall boss Nuri Sahin does not hold the 22-year-old close in his plans, and West Ham are among the clubs to have been contacted by the German's agents.

Dortmund would consider offers in excess of €30m (£25m), so whether the Hammers would be willing to sanction such an outlay with the front of the ship still in need of redress is unclear.

Why Karim Adeyemi would thrive at West Ham

If finances work out, Adeyemi could prove to be an excellent addition for a reshaping West Ham side, having been hailed for his "electric" pace by analyst Ben Mattinson and indeed offering a skillset tailored for Premier League success, clocking a top speed of 36.65 km/h in 2024.

He only scored five goals across 34 matches for Dortmund last season but started just ten times in the Bundesliga, with injuries and subsequent struggles for form hindering his hopes for fluency.

Still, as per FBref, he ranked among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga last season for progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, highlighting his ball-carrying qualities.

Despite lacking in prolificness somewhat, Adeyemi has so much more to give – with talent scout Jacek Kulig even claiming that he is a "nightmare" for defenders – and is already impressing with the rounded nature of his style, leading FBref to record Bowen as one of his most comparable players.

Matches played

34

24

Goals

16

6

Assists

6

5

Pass completion

75%

77%

Key passes per game

0.9

1.2

Ball recoveries per game

3.5

4.2

Dribbles per game

1.0

1.4

Duels won per game

4.4

3.8

While Adeyemi still has a long way to go, it can be noted from the table above that he has many of Bowen's qualities, blending his goalscoring ability with moblity, dribbling expertise and combativeness. After all, Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has already expressed his admiration for the young forward, saying that "not many players can stop him" once he gets going after dismantling Chelsea in the Champions League in 2022/23.

His two-footedness is also a big plus, for it would allow him to compete across both flanks for Lopetegui's side and earn ample opportunity to impress.

Given that West Ham signed Bowen from Championship side Hull City for £22m when he was only 23, the now distinguished 27-year-old has demonstrated the trajectory that can be taken if one plies their trade with diligence, making the right move to expand the skillset.

Adeyemi must sign for West Ham, where he can build his natural-born qualities and shape into something special.

Lopetegui must swiftly axe West Ham flop who earns over 4x more than Duran

He’s been a colossal failure of a signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2024

Six members of Pakistan’s touring contingent in New Zealand have tested positive for Covid-19. According to an NZC release, four are new cases, while two of the positive results have been deemed “historical”.It is unclear whether the six who tested positive are players or other members of Pakistan’s touring party.The results are from tests conducted upon Pakistan’s arrival in New Zealand on November 24. Each member of the squad will have to undergo a minimum of four tests while in managed isolation.The six who tested positive have been moved to a different floor of the managed isolation facility in Christchurch where Pakistan are currently based. The team will not be able to train until investigations are completed, and their 14-day quarantine period has been reset, meaning it begins afresh.NZC also revealed that some members of the Pakistan contingent had “contravened protocols” on day one of their managed isolation. “We will be having discussions with the tourists to assist them in understanding the requirements,” the release said.A New Zealand Ministry of Health release said these breaches of protocol had been caught on CCTV, and that the team has been issued a “final warning.”It is understood that another breach can get the player involved deported, and put the entire tour in jeopardy.ALSO READ – Fakhar Zaman ruled out of New Zealand tourESPNcricinfo has also learned that assistant coach Shahid Aslam hasn’t joined the rest of the team in Christchurch. He is undergoing his 14-day quarantine in Auckland – Pakistan’s first port of entry into New Zealand – after declaring a sore throat in his travelling form. He has cleared a Covid-19 test and will join the rest of the team when his quarantine ends.According to New Zealand Covid regulations, the tourists need to be isolated in separate rooms, not permitted to mix with each other for the fortnight to be spent in quarantine. They will be tested on the third and twelfth days of isolation. Once they return negative tests, they will not need to form a bio-secure bubble within the country, given the near-total absence of community transmission of Covid-19 in New Zealand.New Zealand earlier issued a warning to the touring West Indies party for breaching quarantine regulations during isolation. They were found to be socialising in the hallways, which Covid regulations do not allow.All members of the Pakistan contingent who flew out of Lahore had returned negative results from four separate tests. Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman had been left out of the tour as a precautionary measure after showing possible symptoms of Covid-19.Pakistan are due to play three T20Is on December 18, 20 and 22 in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier respectively, before playing two Tests in Mount Maunganui (December 26-30) and Christchurch (January 3-7).

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo enfrenta, neste domingo (29), o Juventude, com alguns grandes objetivos pela frente. Em grande recuperação, o Tricolor trocou a briga contra o rebaixamento por um sonho nada distante de entrar na zona de classificação da Libertadores. Além das possibilidades dentro do Brasileirão, o time busca, também, entrar em suas ‘semanas de folga’ em um bom momento.

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CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Atualmente na 12ª posição, o São Paulo tem 21 pontos somados no torneio até o momento. Assim, a equipe estava apenas três pontos atrás o Corinthians, atual sexto colocado no começo da rodada. Após a vitória do alvinegro diante do Grêmio, no último sábado (28), o Tricolor pode apenas encostar na zona de classificação para a Libertadores, dependendo dos resultados de outros times.

Um objetivo mais possível, porém, é entrar na metade de cima da tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro, estando apenas um ponto atrás do 10ª colocado do torneio, o Internacional.

Entretanto, do mesmo jeito que o time pode colar no topo da tabela, uma queda também está em jogo. Caso perca, além de ser ultrapassado pelo Juventude, que está apenas um ponto atrás na tabela, o São Paulo pode terminar a rodada na 16ª posição, atualmente ocupada pelo Fluminense.

O resultado será determinante para a sequência do São Paulo. Com um período de mais de uma semana sem jogos pela frente, o treinador Hernán Crespo terá, pela primeira vez, uma longa sequência de treinos e até mesmo folgas para o elenco, que sofre com a questão física na temporada.

Assim, o Tricolor tem objetivos bem definidos e um jogo que promete ser bem disputado pela frente. O time pode definir se entrará no período de treinos em uma boa posição no Brasileirão, ou se terá sua recuperação interrompida.

A bola rola a partir das 16h deste domingo (29), no Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul. A partida entre São Paulo e Juventude é válida pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Rangers have been dealt a big blow with the news that a key player will miss the Scottish Cup final clash with Celtic, according to an injury expert.

Rangers gearing up for final showdown

The Gers' Scottish Premiership title hopes received a hammer blow over the weekend, with Saturday's 2-1 defeat away to Celtic leaving them six points adrift of their rivals and needing a genuine miracle to scoop the top prize from here.

A nightmare afternoon for John Lundstram saw him score an own goal and also receive a red card, with their chances of title glory now looking extremely slim thanks to a moment of madness from the soon to be free agent.

All hope is not lost for Philippe Clement and his players this season, however, and if they do just fall short in the league, there is still another trophy on offer to add to their Scottish League Cup from earlier in the campaign.

On May 25th, Rangers take on the Hoops at Hampden Park on another massive occasion, in what could end up being a revenge mission for them. In order for them to have the possible chance of glory, however, they need as many key players available as possible, and one important individual now definitely won't be taking part.

Rangers handed injury blow before cup final

Speaking to Ibrox News, injury expert Dr. Rajpal Brar said that Danilo will miss Rangers' cup final showdown with Celtic, after hopes had risen following images of him returning to the training pitches. Brar insists that given he is still away from the full team sessions in the images, a return this season is virtually impossible.

"Considering how long he’s been out and the fact he just got back to the field and is only doing straight line running, there could still be a bit of time before he’s back in first team training.

"I would expect him to be back at the start of pre-season and he may do some individual work ahead of time in order to get back his mobility. He does seem a month away from training with the same intensity as the rest of the team."

While not necessarily the biggest shock, having confirmation that Danilo will play no part against Celtic certainly has an adverse effect on their chances of beating their biggest adversaries.

Sadly, injuries have robbed the 25-year-old of making a genuine impact this season, but he has still scored four goals in five Scottish Premiership starts – 12 appearances in the competition in total – showing that he has been fairly prolific when available. Clement is a big admirer, too, saying of him earlier in the campaign: "He has killer capacities in the box, he’s a goalscorer.

"I want to make him a striker who works hard not only thinking about scoring goals because that’s a part we need, he has the individual actions to make a difference."

James Tavernier

20

Cyriel Dessers

17

Abdallah Sima

15

Danilo

6

Todd Cantwell

6

Rabbi Matondo

5

The aim for Danilo, who is one of the club's highest earners, will be to get back to full fitness during the summer, before returning to the Rangers side next season and enjoying an injury-free campaign. Eleven goal contributions (six goals and five assists) in 21 appearances has been a promising start, but there is hopefully so much more to come.

Australia fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out of the home series against New Zealand starting next month and the WBBL after a setback in her recovery from the foot injury that forced her to miss the T20 World Cup.Maitlan Brown, who plays for Australian Capital Territory and the Melbourne Renegades, has earned her first call-up to a national squad while Belinda Vakarewa has also been included in an enlarged 18-player group for the T20I and ODI matches against New Zealand due to the restrictions around Covid-19.

Australia combined squad

Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes (vice-capt), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry (*subject to fitness), Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa

After missing the semi-final and final of the T20 World Cup due to a hamstring injury, Ellyse Perry has been included in the squad but her fitness will be assessed nearer the matches.The matches against New Zealand will be Australia’s first cricket since the T20 World Cup final on March 8 and could yet be the first top-level women’s international action since the pandemic if England do not manage to arrange some fixtures next month.With the Women’s ODI World Cup is now postponed until 2022, the focus has shifted somewhat from preparing for that tournament. The initial hope had been that Vlaeminck, one of the fastest bowlers in the world but who has a history of injury, would be ready for that event, however now there will be a cautious approach taken.”Tayla had a recurrence of right medial ankle pain three weeks ago as she was working through her rehab from the navicular stress fracture she sustained in February,” Australian physiotherapist Kate Beerworth said. “Her recovery has been trending in the right direction but it’s just not going to be soon enough for the demands on international cricket and a busy Big Bash schedule.Maitlan Brown in action for Australia A•Getty Images

“The tricky nature of a navicular injury means it’s more a long-term play and we’ll be guided by Tayla’s symptoms as we look to get her back to full fitness. She’s only young and it’s important we look after her future, so we won’t rush anything.”Vlaeminck is the only centrally-contracted player not to make the squad with allrounder Erin Burns and offspinner Molly Strano, who were both part of the T20 World Cup squad, joining Brown and Vakarewa from outside that group.Brown took 16 wickets in last season’s WBBL for the Renegades and seven wickets for the ACT in the WNCL. She has featured in Australia A sides in recent seasons including against India A last December.”Tayla is your true tear-away quick which we love, but we need to make sure we look after her long-term future,” national selector Shawn Flegler said. “She’s going to be a serious long-term player for Australia.”Ellyse is progressing well from a significant hamstring injury and we want to give her every chance to be available for selection, so we’ll continue to monitor her progress over the coming weeks.”The door has really opened for players like Maitlan, who joins the squad for the first time, and fellow fast-bowler Belinda who has previously represented Australia. Belinda only just missed out on T20 World Cup selection while Maitlan has impressed through her time in the National Performance Squad and Australia A.”New Zealand always present a great challenge and this series will be no different. While nothing is guaranteed in the current climate it’s pleasing to be able to prepare for a series like this and thanks must go to all the people working behind the scenes to make it possible.”The tour includes a three-match T20I series due to start on September 27 with all the games played at North Sydney Oval followed by three ODIs in Townsville, Cairns and the Gold Coast although the fixture list remains subject to change.

Inevitably, after winning promotion, higher-up suitors will be tempted to have a look at your best talents.

Derby County will wait with bated breath over whether they will be able to keep all their top stars together from their League One promotion story for the jump-up to the Championship, with Eiran Cashin the obvious name who could well now be linked with a move away from Pride Park.

Linked with a move all the way up to the Premier League in the past, Cashin's virtually ever-present nature in the third tier – with 52 games amassed in all competitions – means he's maturing at a rapid speed, potentially ready for a move up to the top-flight as a result.

Derby will want a significant amount of money to part ways with any of their group currently, however, which worked in their favour previously when offloading this former star in 2001 for a sizeable amount who then flopped in his new surroundings.

Seth Johnson's time at Derby

Seth Johnson will go down as a cherished player from Derby yesteryear when Rams supporters look back, with the combative midfielder amassing 143 appearances in total over two stints at Pride Park.

His first spell was his most impactful, which would later lead to a major move away from Derbyshire, with two goals and five assists managed from 71 games.

Scoring this header (above) against Wimbledon to salvage a point in his debut season – which saw the Rams finish just above the relegation zone in the top flight – Johnson would even go on to be capped by England remarkably during this spell of his career.

Leeds must have thought gambling on the no-nonsense midfield man, who accumulated a ridiculous 40 yellow cards in total when donning a Rams strip, was going to pay off at the start of the millennium with a high £7m bid accepted for his services.

It would end up being an injury-ravaged portion of the now retired 45-year-old's career at Elland Road in a move that should've catapulted him to stardom, with his career halting prematurely anyway at just 28 years of age when moving back to Derby owing to these recurring fitness issues.

The Rams would have felt for one of their ex-stars moving on having such a nightmare, but when assessing TotallyMoney's Transfer Index, Derby would feel some satisfaction regardless for how much they managed to get out of Leeds at the time.

Seth Johnson's transfer value in 2024

Going on to make just 59 appearances for the Whites over four seasons, his hefty £7m price tag at the time already makes the move a flop.

However, if the same disastrous move went through today, Johnson would have cost Leeds an eye-watering £23m as per TotallyMoney.

To further add context, that would make Johnson an even more expensive buy than both Joel Piroe and Ethan Ampadu combined in Daniel Farke's current Leeds squad.

Season

Games played

Goals

Assists

2004/05

6

1

0

2003/04

26

2

5

2002/03

13

1

0

2001/02

14

0

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

With his best appearances total for a season coming in at a low 26 at Elland Road, Leeds would have been more than happy, if a little hacked off at paying £7m, to part ways with Johnson for him to return back to Pride Park for a homecoming in 2005 on a free transfer.

Bowing out by helping the Rams move up to the Premier League in his final ever career game, before a knee injury saw his early retirement come to fruition, Derby supporters will just hope there's plenty more to come from their current crop of talent who won't just exit in the summer.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Lord’s and Lady Taverners’ trophies formally presented to County Championship-winning teams

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2020Essex and Kent joined the Lord’s Taverners at the House of Lord’s on Tuesday to be formally presented with the County Championship and the Women’s One-Day Cup respectively after their successes in the 2019 season.Essex claimed the County Championship, their second title in three years, after a tense final-round encounter with the runners-up, Somerset, holding out for the decisive draw at Taunton, having lost only one match all year in the competition.Until his retirement from royal duties in 2017, the County Championship trophy had traditionally been presented at Buckingham Palace by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, the Lord’s Taverners Patron and Twelfth Man, who decided to introduce a physical trophy in 1973 where previously there had been none.Kent, meanwhile, lifted the Lady Taverner’s ECB One-Day trophy after six wins out of six, culminating in victory over Lancashire. It was their first 50-over title since 2016 and their eighth overall, making them the most successful county in the history of the women’s County Championship.”It’s a privilege to be at the House of Lords with the team and the Championship trophy today,” said Tom Westley, who took over as Essex captain when Ryan ten Doeschate stood down in January.”It’s been an amazing year for everyone connected with the club and it’s a nice way to celebrate the hard work and commitment from the players, coaching staff and everyone behind the scenes.”I think it’s also the perfect opportunity to reflect on the amazing work Ryan ten Doeschate did during his captaincy. A lot of the rise that the club has seen in red-ball cricket has been down to him, and his record as skipper speaks for itself.”Without him, we wouldn’t have enjoyed the success we have over the last four years and we most likely wouldn’t be at the House of Lord’s today.”2019 was a long and tough campaign, so this is nice way to look back on our achievements and triumphs, but it’s also a reminder for everyone about what we’re fighting for again in 2020.”Kent Cricket’s Lauren Griffiths said: “I’m proud to join my team-mates one last time to collect the Royal London Women’s County Championship Trophy. I have loved playing for Kent Women, and it is an honour to be accepting the trophy on behalf of all the players.”Also presented on the day were the ECB Domestic Journalism Awards to recognise the coverage of the domestic game across all levels of the media.The Christopher Martin Jenkins Young Cricket Journalist of the Year award was presented to Charlie Taylor at BBC Radio Somerset and he made it a double having been named as the Domestic Cricket Broadcaster of the Year.The Yorkshire Post was named as Regional Newspaper of the Year while the award for Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket went to the Daily Telegraph with thecricketer.com winning the Online Award.